Assignment Task
Research Project
Your assignment task is to produce a research project based on the effects of retrieval cues vs free recall on remembering lists of words
You will need to choose your own title based on the above topic e.g. To investigate whether retrieval cues effect the number of words remembered (1.1)
You need to gather information from a sample of at least 20 participants (10 will have retrieval cues provided when asked to recall the words vs 10 participants who will be asked to free recall the same list). You will ask 10 participants to study the list of 20 words (with subheadings for each category) for 2 minutes and then ask them to write them down on the answer sheet provided. There will be two answer sheets, one with the subheadings on (retrieval cues) and one blank (free recall) – see below for example word lists and answer sheets (you can use these or create your own)
Abstract (Approx. 150 words):
This is an overview of the rest of your research project and therefore you must write this last although in order of presentation it comes at the beginning of the report. It must include the following:
• Brief background to give the reader an indication of the area of study;
• The aim; the hypotheses;
• The research method used (in this case it is an experiment);
• The sample of participants;
• The results found;
• The overall conclusion in relation to the investigation and whether you accepted the experimental hypothesis or the null.
(6.1)
Literature Review (Approx. 750 words):
The introduction is like a funnel going from the general area of study for your research project (memory/forgetting) tapering down to the most relevant piece of research to what you are studying (research studies into cued/free recall of words) and your aim/hypotheses. The last piece of research that you describe should be the most relevant to yours to base your hypotheses on. (1.2)
Aim of investigation:
Give this in a statement (The aim of this piece of research is to see whether….)(1.1)
Hypothesis (experimental):
Give this in a statement, make sure you include the independent and dependent variables and also state if this is a one or two tailed hypothesis. (1.2)
Hypothesis (null):
Give this in a statement, making sure you state that the independent variable will have no effect on the dependent variable and also state if this is a one or two tailed hypothesis. (1.2)
Method (Approx. 500 words):
The method has to have enough detail in it to allow the reader to replicate the study. This is normally divided into the following:
(a) Design – which design has been used in your investigation and justify why this was used over the other two (Independent groups vs Repeated Measures and Matched Pairs – 2.2). Which research method has been used and justify why over other methods (Experiment vs Interview/Case Study etc – 2.1)
You must also state your independent and dependent variables (2.3)
(b) Procedure: Here you need to include all the information relating to what was covered in order to complete the investigation. The reader should be able to follow your instructions to be able to replicate the investigation without any other help. Include a step-by-step guide for the reader. Think of this section as instructions to a flat pack wardrobe, if there is a section missing the wardrobe won’t be built properly, meaning your procedure isn’t therefore replicable to others (4.1)
You must also consider the ethical implications and considerations of the study e.g. brief/debrief, consent, confidentiality and right to withdraw (some participants may be sensitive about being part of an investigation and you need to take steps not to identify the participants individually). (3.1, 3.2)
You must also describe the controls you put in place to ensure a valid test was carried out e.g. standardised instructions, procedures and materials. Think of other aspects of the investigation you need to control to ensure one participant doesn’t have an advantage over another (2.3)
(c) Participants: this section includes details about the participants for instance, where you obtained the sample from (target population), the type of sample (males, females, age etc.), how many in each group (e.g. 10 in the experimental condition – cued recall and 10 in the control condition – free recall) and the sampling technique used (opportunity sampling is the best one to use, justify why you chose this over other such as random and stratified) (2.3)
(d) Apparatus: here you would put details about anything that was used in order to complete the investigation. For example, list of words and answer sheets – you could include examples in the appendices (2.3)
